June 30, 2013

Washington and Author Leona Bushman



I live in Washington—state not city. And there's a pet peeve of Washingtonians everywhere. People in Washington DC should remember to add the DC charge.  Different from the metropolis of DC, my Washington offers diverse and beautiful areas of the country. We have mountains, and the Snake River, the Columbia river, the Puget Sound, the Pacific Ocean, semi-arid desert, the Yakima Nation Indian Reservation and the only cold rain forest (that I'm aware of) in the world.

I live in the semi-arid desert portion of the state. We've added canals so the orchards, farms, and ranches
have really become a large business venture. It's always been that way, though. Except now, it's on a larger scale.

It's a wonderful place to live. We have technology (Microsoft), coffee (Starbucks and Seattle's Best), shipping, fishing/crabbing, farming, ranching, and loads of malls. One of my favorite things are the orchards.
My family and I moved to Texas for a few months. Wasn't the best experience of our lives, but still very educational. One of the things we found is the apples they called apples? They're the ones we cull up here.
Or send to the juice factory. I sorely missed the fruit available around here, even in winter.

Personally, I live near at least eight  produce stands and/or farmers that sell their product direct. It's like having a farmer's market every day. Although, not as much fun stuff like soaps, breads, and artwork, I wish we had more of that around here. Every
Sunday, my five mile neighbor, Yakima, has a Farmer's Market that closes the street down in front of our historical theatre, an old Vaudeville one—The Capitol Theater. The Farmer's Market that includes all of that extra stuff I like and is particularly fun.

One of the best things about where I live, is the spring. The orchards are in bloom for weeks straight. We normally start with Cherries and end with Apples. And yes, those are crops that deserved to be capitalized. We send our fruit all over the world. You may have seen a box of Washington apples or bags of Washington cherries, at a store near you. Pears, peaches, wheat, corn, asparagus, mint, plums, apricots, beans, tomatoes, dairies, horse/cattle ranches, and the list goes on. We also have wineries that have received some
world-wide attention.

As you can see, I live in a diverse area. And the different cultures—Anglo, Mexican, Native American, Philippine—in my area alone are incredible to see. The powwows, the casinos, the parades, the fairs put on but each part of the community, all reveal those differences. And, when you go out of my area, an even stronger amount of diversity is seen. These communities take pride in their traditions and share with us all.
On the west side of the state, there are also some of these things, even agricultural, but the biggest difference you'll see is in Seattle metropolitan area. There's where the big city life is. From Puyallup to Olympia to
Seattle to Tacoma, if it's not there, there's a good chance you don't need it. Art, diners, clubs, EMP aka The Experience Music Project, the Space Needle, the Science Center, the IMAC theatre, the cultural fairs, the library made of awesome...even the architecture is fantastic.

I write, I paint, I love. 
Visit Leona’s website for more information on her work:
(Pictures provided by Author)  

10 comments:

  1. I've never had the good fortune to visit Washington (State, that is!) but it is on my bucket list. The description you've given really brings it to vivid life for me. Guess that's why you're the author and I'm the reader! Love your word pictures.

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  2. Thank you for the great blog about a beautiful state. Everyone should visit Washington State at least once if not more, and you have to drive through it to appreciate the diverse beauty. Success with your books and art.

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  3. I've flown over Washington, but haven't had the opportunity to visit. Best of luck with your writing and art.

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  4. In a world where we all worry about the food we eat, it's a wonderful thing to have local produce at a farmer's market. You're a lucky gal. Both of my sisters lived in Washington for a while and they both loved it there. I'm sure you write with inspiration from your home state.
    I wish you all the best.

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  5. Now I'll have to add Washington to my list of states I want to camp in someday, if we ever get to retire. I love the idea of fresh produce all of the time, and the diverse landscape would make for some excellent hiking.
    Thanks for sharing.

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  6. I just moved from north of Seattle (300 cloudy days a year) to Prescott AZ area (300 sunny days a year). But Washington IS a beautiful state and I enjoyed living there for 17 years!

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  7. Hi! Thank you all for the lovely comments! My home internet out and apparently, my mobile phone decided I wasn't me or something :S

    But, the service guy finally came (on the 4th even!) and I'm up and running. Lovely comments to come back on line for!! Thank you :)

    And yes, my state is a great place for inspiration. From the reservation where I live, to the mountains, to the city, to the ocean, I can find whatever landscape I need.

    And if you're into series books, I just signed a contract for 10 more plus 5 free shorts in The War of the Weres Series (Paranormal romance) with Breathless Press. Lots of good things awaited me online! :D

    Thanks to Annette for this lovely and unique way to let us authors to share with you!!

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  8. Leona, I'll have to swing by on my way to Walla Walla where my grandkids live. (Son a winemaker, another great thing about Washington State) I've lived here for 36 years. Though I grew up back east, my heart, I think has always been in the NW where my parents spent their childhoods. I love the diversity of the land and its people in WA State. Yes, we're cloudy on the west side of the mountains, but the temperatures are mild year round. We celebrate when the sun comes out (after 11:00 so you can get all your outdoor projects done in coolness) and we can exercise outdoors any time of the day and not drop dead.

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  9. My sister and her husband grew apples in Manson. Such gorgeous country. You brought back some good memories.

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  10. Did my ciomment bite the dust again? One last time, then I give up. ;)

    Hi, Cyn! I see my comment didn't make it.

    Just wanted to let you know, it's cool to see you out of the "crib," and a shout out too to Annette.

    I'll be here with a bit about Nevada, the polar opposite in many ways to your great state.

    Keep up the outstanding work. Yr. pal, Erin

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